#14 - 7 days in the sun

16/02/2011

Needless to say I woke up shattered this morning after last night´s shindig.

I led ´Group Devotions´ - we have half-an-hour each morning to have a chat, read a bit of the Bible and listen to some music.
I kicked it off with ´God Of This City´, an absolute tune. I then led a brief study on The Parable Of The Lost Coin, opened the floor up for discussion then we listened to Amazing Grace. Nice way to start the day.

We then had some training on ´Spiritual Warfare´ which is an overly dramatic title with negative connotations. We were essentially briefed and prepared for some of the many challenges we will face, ranging as far as witchcraft and schisms within the team. It was all really interesting stuff but after the brief amount of sleep, a couple of us found it hard going. Note to self - get some sleep tonight.

Lunch was rice and gammon - the gammon was a bit dry if I´m honest but the rice had a nice sauce so all was well.
During the lunch break me, Jonny and Andy went to the Panaderia (bakery) to get some cakes.
Albin asked us to get him some Mamallena, a sort of fruity cake - however Andy thought it would be funny to first offer him an equally fresh, more fibrous option: horse dung.
There was a pile on the road between us and the panaderia, so he got a spare bag and picked it up. It absolutely stank.
When we got back to the house he offered it to Albin, who opened it to find a big surprise. I´m surprised he didn´t get more angry to be honest.
I got a cinnamon doughnut which was lush.

In the afternoon we had some time to learn some drama, and learned 2 pieces which we can perform to the tribes when we head out.
It took us all a while to loosen up, but boy did we.
The first one involves a scene with a teenage party, which simply involved drinking and dancing the robot when I volunteered to do it first.
However with each different practise, the mimed actions escalated to smoking marijuana, snorting cocaine and injecting heroin which may or may not be included when we perform in schools.
Andy then took the lead in the second piece, a role which he interpreted as dancing around gyrating his hips furiously and blowing a whistle extremely loudly and frequently. 

After a productive afternoon, it was time for exercise. Jonny, Jess, Jarett and I went for a run for about 20 minutes up to the church and back. Upon our return, we found Christina leading Andy, Albin and Bonnie in some yoga, so I promptly joined them. It did wonders for the numerous muscles I´d pulled - I don´t mean to complain but I have the legs of a 50 year old. Whenever I do exercise I pull my groin, it´s just standard, and usually either my quadrocep or hamstring because I have had tight hamstrings since I was a kid.
Like I say, I don´t mean to complain. But it´s annoying.

I had a shower straight away as I had about a litre of sweat about my person. A combination of the first hot water for a few days (the girls always use it up), using shampoo for the first time since I was here and having the relaxing yoga music playing in the background made it a beautiful sensual moment.
I can really see why women love having baths - the idea of a foamy bath with relaxing music and a glass of champagne is really rather a fantastic one, and I experienced a watered-down (pardon the pun) version this evening.

That was followed straight away by dinner, which was amazing. We had a Panamanian delicacy of which I can´t for the life of me remember the name, but they´re fried and sort of like crispy naan bread. Suffice to say they were veeeeeeery nice. To accompany it was Hot Chocolate with a hint of cinnamon - can´t complain on any level really.

We then spent the evening watching the film ´Facing the Giants´ - I put on my pyjamas and glasses and really enjoyed the comfort that this brought in abundance. We even had snacks from the panaderia - raisin biscuits and little pastry things, plus the company of Americans whilst watching a film that conforms to almost all American stereotypes and this contributed to it being a brilliant experience.

It´s been a really fun day - I´ve lost count of how many times I´ve collapsed laughing.
Team spirit is very high indeed and it really contributes to great productivity and a feeling of goodwill and prosperity around the whole house and in everything we do.
I´ve made some friends for life in the last 5 days.

It´s now been over a week in Panama, and I´ve largely had a brilliant time.
All the people I´ve met have been massively friendly and genuine, and everything I´ve learned and experienced has been both useful and fun. I have probably changed in many ways already without realising, and that´s due to being in a fantastic culture with fantastic people.

However I miss the routine of home; waking up in my bed, using my shower, being close to my friends and family, being able to understand everyone in the street. I could go on.
But every day I´m out here gives me more experience of life´s realties, such as being away from everything that is normal and familiar and safe.
There have already been massive highs, and there will be so many more when we hopefully see fruit come from the work we do in each community.
However I´m also well aware that there will be lows; times when I want space to myself but can´t get it for long enough, times when we feel that we´re making no difference, times when I get sick of being in another culture.
But like I said, each day I´m learning more about myself and about the world.
So I´ll count my blessings and be grateful for the amazing opportunity I have over here to do God´s work.

Happy days.

JG